When Heather Sachs first had her daughter Leah four years ago, she realized her life would take an unexpected turn. Now, however, she says she's learned to embrace the new path.

Sachs learned that Leah likely had Down syndrome in the delivery room shortly after she gave birth. "There is an initial grieving process when you've had a surprise diagnosis," said Sachs, a Potomac resident. "You're replacing the image of the child you were expecting with the child that you have. Once we got past that, we learned to embrace it," she said.

Leah is now 4, and Sachs describes her as a "ray of sunshine." She can do all the things a typical child can, Sachs said  albeit on her own schedule. But the syndrome, which affects mental and physical development, did come with a unique set of challenges, Sachs said. First, there was the surgery that Leah had to undergo to correct a heart defect found in about half of children born with Down syndrome. Learning where to turn for resources and how to navigate the health insurance system was also tricky, she said.

Soon, however, Sachs discovered the county's Infants and Toddlers program, which provides early intervention services for young children with developmental delays. For support, she also turned to the Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, and soon became an active advocate.

"Having a child with Down syndrome opened our eyes to a whole other world we never thought of before Leah came into our lives," Sachs said. "There's a whole community of parents in Montgomery County who have gone through the same thing and have a unique understanding of our day-to-day lives."

On Saturday, many of those parents gathered along with supporters and friends to take part in the fifth annual Buddy Walk, which took place at Hadley's Park in Potomac. It was organized by the Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, a support group for families with children, teens and adults with Down syndrome. Despite overcast skies and a steady drizzle, the group gathered to listen to speeches, take a symbolic walk around the perimeter of the park and enjoy a festival complete with moonbounces, a golf clinic, arts and crafts and an obstacle course.

If there was one message the group hoped to drive home, it was that people with Down syndrome can do all of the things typical people can.

"It's about the effort for inclusion," said Gaithersburg resident Linda Woodside, whose granddaughter Shannon Hughes, 6, has Down syndrome. "It's important that they're included and not discriminated against because they have learning disabilities."

This year, more than 600 people signed up to participate, though the rain may have affected attendance, according to event chairwomen Kirsten Jones. The walk, which raised about $60,000 this year, was originally launched in Kensington, Jones said. "It's really grown from something that was just a walk through the neighborhoods to this big festival," she said.

Like Sachs, Jones has a child with Down syndrome. Her son Anderson was diagnosed shortly after he was born, and she said her family moved to Bethesda from Washington, D.C., because of county resources like the Infants and Toddlers program.

Today, her son takes part in a pre-school education program offered through Montgomery County Public Schools for children with special needs. With the help of an aid, she hopes her son will be able to be fully included in elementary school classes.

Jones said the walk aims to focus on children's accomplishments, rather than their differences.

"If you give a kid an opportunity, who knows what they can do," Jones said. "They can do anything anyone else can  they just need a chance."